Mark Berninger

I live in Chicago, but travel worldwide regularly

Mark Berninger's Passions

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Hiking & Camping

Biking

Paddling

Mark Berninger's Bio

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I am a biologist by trade and my work has taken me to some crazy places, and my adventurous spirit. I have been canoeing in Amazon jungle, climbed MT. Kilimanjaro, and camped in the Serengetti in Africa. I ski 30+ days the past winters and fish off my sit on top Kayak in Lake MI and in the Northwoods of WI about 30+days a year. Just got into biking, so I'll let you know how that is going. I think I can provide a interesting point of view being an ex-college offensive lineman, I am still a big guy 6'3" and 285lbs, so can let you know if stuff really is as beefy as they say and if that 2xl jacket will really fit.

This jacket fits me great I'm 6'2" 285lb and this baby fits with plenty of room for a hoody or fleece if its really cold,I love the weatherproof exterior, it has sharp looks and great features, great for just about anything you can throw at it.

Let me start and say that these are very confortable shoes, and they fit well and look cool. However after wearing them one day in the yard and around the house I went for a brisk hike with a friend, and about 2 miles into a 4 mile hike, i steped on a pile of rocks and slipped down a bit and the BOA lacing wheel up by the tongue just popped right off, leaving me with a few very small parts and no way to tighten my shoe. I had to walk 2 miles with my foot flying around in the shoe, very uncomfortable. I would have expected a trail running shoe to be able to handle the obstacles you might find on a trail. Who knows maybe this is a freak accident , but i do know that my laces wouldnt break the second time i wear the shoes. I am going to return them and find some with some thing a little less technical, sometimes less really is more... Dissappointed to say the least.

I have had this hat for 14 years now , and it just finally wore through, this past weekend. It has been to Africa, the Amazon 8 seperate times, and countless other trips, it keeps my face and neck shaded and cool, the mesh on top lets hot air out and lets the cool breeze in. My friends are gear nuts like me and have spend 2 or 3X's on sun hats from different companies, and have replaced them, as i kept this stalwart companion with me for years. I will buy another and hopefully it last another 14 years. Best sun hat out there, period

I have always had problems with ski boots, I have size 13 street shoes and wear a 29.5 ski boot, but I have always had problems with fit, or conversly with flex. Being a big guy I need a responsive yet comfy boot, and this is it, after trying several pairs, even ones from Tecnica, I found these jems! they take a bit to break in, but once they do, they are awesome I can wear them all day, and they are forcefull enough to drive my 186 Nordica Hellcats at mach 1 down the slopes but dont beat me up too much on the choppy crud, and bumps. As you can imagine they are not for everyone but I can say that I love them and if you are a hard charger like me and are looking for comfort AND performance look no more friends you found your glass slipper, now just dont turn into a pumpkin....

This hoodie is great although it's price tag might be a little steep I found it for like 65% off on S&C. I am a big guy and it fits well and is not overly tight like some Arc'teryx stuff can be, very comfy and looks kinda dressy as well.

I bought this pack because I was sick and tired of having the airlines telling me that my "boot" bag had to be in the size and shape of a boot, not a small duffle. So this bag is now my carry on. It fits all of my ski gear, helmet, goggles, boots, sunglasses and assorted other electronics. Carries the boots easily and can even be used as a day pack on the slopes (it has a camelback pouch internally). It is a little on the smaller side for bigger people, I have to let the shoulder straps out all the way, but other than that it is awesome, I would highly recommend it for carrying your stuff through airports and around town.

I bought these skis to be be my powder skis, and man do they fufill that niche. I am an ex-college FB player (6'3" 285) Skied in 35+ inches of fresh snow at Alta this year, and they kept my big butt floating quite well. They even work well on soft slushy snow, but hardpacked and variable snow conditions are a little sketchy. Obviously not the ski for the frontside of the Mt. but when there is fresh pow, grab these boards and "float on"

I have had these shoe for 3 years now and I still wear them, mostly a winter gym shoe the xcr does keep the water out. The problem I had was that the sole started to delaminate (come unglued) around the ball of my foot on the sides of the shoe, it caused it to catch on carpet and would not be glued back into place even with gorillia glue. The shoes durability is not in question they are 3 years old, but the sole has been having problems for at least 2 years, hence they have been relagated from the field into the city/ town as regular sneakers.

I have a pair of these shoes and they could not be more comfy, great for just wearing around, but when I want to trail run , or fast hike they are great. I got lost in the Clifty Wilderness in Kentucky, by the time I found my way back to camp I was completely beat up, and scratched, but my feet were fine...Thanks to my pair of XT wings.

I out these insoles in my boots before hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, I convinced my best friend to to the same. We made it up all 19,534 ft, and back down without any feet problems, the same could not be said for the rest of our group, no one else had the insoles, and the toe-bang on the decent caused all of them to lose at least 1 or 2 toenails. I bagged the summit and have all of my pretty toenails to show for it. Highly recomended!!!!

After I got this jacket I was first of all suprised how warm it is. It is fairly thin and a hoody underneath this can seriously take on just about everything the Chicago winter can throw at you. Windproof at 50mph in a boat fishing in Wisconsin and cozy by the fire afterwards. I love this jacket and it is the first one out of my closet on a windy day 4sure....

This flip in my mind has it all, comfort, durability, and support. Plus it comes with the chaco promise. Chaco might be the best company ever, they will bend over backwards to help and if anything ever, and I mean ever goes wrong they fix it if a product defect, they pay for it. If your puppy chewed up your straps, they fix that too, at a discount.... Awesome, I will never own any other sandal.

This sweater, has it all technical styling and usefulness, but without the uber tight technical fit. So you can wear it under your shell, and wear it while lounging around the fire pit. I am an ex-offensive lineman from college and the XXL fits very nice.

Well, in case you were wondering the turbo fan really does work! I am an ex-college o-lineman, so needles to say I work up a real sweat on the Mt. and I had some problems with other goggles fogging up (even ones with vents) so I bought these hoping they would keep the fog at bay, and they most definitly do, even on a 50 degree blubird day at Kirkwood last January, no fog! They are sized to fit bigger faces and work awesome with my helmet.

These sock have it all, they are warm, don't hold onto stink and have extra cushioning where you need it and none where you don't. I have a size 13 foot and the XL fits awesome, like they were custom made for me. You'll love them

Well first let me say that I am a big guy, being an ex-college lineman has its problems,first in a bar fight they always go for you first, and second finding gear to fit you. I can say that this jacket has been awesome, fits great, I am 6'3" and 285 i have a XXL and it is the best insulating jacket/sweater I have EVER owned. Even on sub-zero days walking through downtown Chicago, I was warm. IT is lightweight and packs up nicely in the inside stuff sack/ pocket, about the size of two nalgene bottles side by side. You can wear it over a short sleeve shirt and be comfy in the coldest of weather.

Is it going to snow? How much vert have we swallowed up today? Which way is back home? With this watch you can have all the answers, the barometer has a storm alarm feature so you can get out before you get yourself in a whiteout, a super accurate compass will help you find your correct direction, and a altitude log book to show your friends that you really did bag that 13K peak. I have the orange and black CORE, I do not really like the strap (buckle kind of digs into my wrist sometimes, but I am used to wrap around fabric bands. The good thing about the orange band it that a regular band could be interchanged just finding one that is an inch+ is a little hard. Overall, this is an expensive watch, but when you think of the things that it does and its durabilty, you have a solid investment for many many years!

Being an ex-college football o-lineman and an outdoors nut is hard, not many technical shells and pants are made to fit bigger guys. Arc'teryx must know me well because these pant fit awesome, i have a 42 waist and the XXL fit great even with an expedition weight base layer underneath. They are great for skiing, I kayak on my sit on top in the winter/late fall with them on, without geting soaked with dripping water, they are also light so you can pack them on your backpacking trip, or rip through waist deep POW out west, the gaiters on the bottom keep snow out, the waist is easily adjustable with low profile buckles, there are belt loops to keep them up rather than suspenders. I know they are expensive but if you think of the vesatility and the fact that they may well last you the rest of your life, especially if you are thinking about hucking that 100 foot cliff....:)